The definitive source for information on collecting screen-used Star Trek props and costumes

Star Trek Props.com The Internet's premier source for information on collecting Star Trek props and costumes, as well as coverage of all major Star Trek auctions from the famous 2006 Christie's Star Trek auction, through the It's A Wrap Star Trek auctions on eBay and the Propworx Star Trek auctions. Star Trek Props is the best source for information of collecting original, screen-used props & costumes.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Look at this Neelix Costume from last week. Well, this costume is stunt costume, but the title doesn't say so. Because of this, the COA won't say so, and some unscrupulous individual could take off the stunt tags, leaving no tags and claim because of your COA, that is it was worn by Ethan Philips.

You MUST say STUNT in the title when you are selling a stunt costume or your COAs will contribute to fraud. PLEASE pay attention to this!!!!

Luckily we all have the Star Trek Auction Archive, to double check. But, not everyone knows about it.

The members of the forum are the biggest and most regular IAW auction shoppers. If you want to be part of the action, learn about the items that are up for auction, including screencaps from the episodes and detailed info on the props and costumes from Jorg, our resident prop identifier, check out the forum!

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Yes, you heard that right. While Dominic and Colin have confirmed there are AT LEAST 6 months of auctions left, the more likely scenario seems to be there is another year of auctions.

Whatever happened to the big February Finale? Well if you remember, that email was sent at a time when everyone was bitching about the lousy customer service. Well, it is obvious now that was just what we said it was at the time, a veiled threat that if you didn't play nice, they wouldn't invite you to the big finale. There is no way they could have realistically thought they would be done in February.Now, IAW recently reduced their staff, which according to one insider was a good thing, as they got rid of some less than productive employees. This has resulted in them listing less each week, usually in the 60-70 item range. This is manageable by their staff and we haven't been seeing the huge delays we have seen in the past. Items are usually shipped in 1-3 weeks after payment is made. Issues have been reduced greatly.

Now, only doing 60 auctions a week, it is easy to see them taking a year. They still have a warehouse full of stuff. Maybe a smaller warehouse than they had before the move, but they have said that they have a ton of stuff left.

Well, what does that mean for us?

1) Prices continue to drop. Week 57 saw seriously cheap props and costumes. I couldn't believe the deals that were had. I bought a beautiful "Takret" alien costume from Enterprise, WITH a sidearm and holster, for $ 317. A beautiful Bajoran costume, that was complete, went for $ 515. Props were all going in the $ 400 range for most.2) The market is flooded After 13 months of auctions, we all have a LOT of stuff and there aren't that many new bidders to make up for our full plate. Plus IAW doesn't market the auctions (I am the biggest marketing they have) and so they don't get new bidders coming in at a rate they need to soak up the supply.

3) Buyers are becoming choosey. I see this with not only myself, but with my best buddies who I talk to all the time. We aren't as excited about every little prop as we used to be. We all have big collections now and it better be pretty cool to get into our collections. We know how much stuff there is and we know that there will be MORE cool stuff next week.

4) Problems mostly resolved The pure hatred for IAW due to their lack of organization and awful customer support has mostly dissipated. The IAW issues thread on the Star Trek Prop, Costume & Auction Forum has slowed down a huge amount, which is good. A few weeks off in December and doing less auctions has helped IAW catch up. Doing less auctions each week has helped them maintain a level of service that is adequate. Resolution of new issues takes more time, and you have to be both patient (don't email them every day, they will get to it) and persistent (don't let them tell you no when you have a legitimate issue). I remain a big fan of Colin's and wish Dom would give him the authority to resolve issues himself, as Colin is pretty consistent in following up. It may take him a week or so, but he is thorough.

There is still a ton of stuff to come and you have to be patient and manage your budget. But we are finally at the point where there are great deals every week. I think the number of auctions and the price levels are about right finally.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

While this is actually the 53nd week of auctions, I am going to use the numbering system Burt came up with for his Star Trek Auctions Archiveto keep consistent. According to Burt's system, weeks 46, 53 and 55 were off weeks, thus the discrepancy. There have been 53 weeks of auctions.Overall, this was a pretty poor week, so this will be a short post. Not a lot of great costumes or props. Even trying to decide on the best costumes and props was tough. But we are seeing some good deals and will continue to see more as people simply can't keep spending at the same pace for another year of auctions!

The Dr. McCoy Commando Uniform was the top costume at $ 2,940. While these costumes aren't regular Starfleet uniforms, they are a cool variant from the worst of the Star Trek movies (with apologies to my buddy Aaron). This one had the boots, though strangely, as cool as they are, IAW didn't photograph them! I have no clue why.

The Klingon Warrior Costume at $ 2,800 was pretty high for a Klingon costume without boots. These are great costumes and look awesome on display. I love mine and it always gets compliments when friends come over.

The TOS Technician Fisher Jumpsuit went for $ 2,252. Well, you would think IAW could spell "Technician" but it seems there are a lot of spelling errors lately as the title of this auction had it spelled "technition". Still, it is nice to see an original TOS costume, even one as boring as this! But hey, this is TOS and 40 years old!

My good friend Chrissy won the Voyager Harry Kim Starfleet Uniform. At $ 1,304 it was a good deal and about where main character costumes havce been going, showing the great deals that are available if you know what to look for.

As far as props go:The USS Defiant Name Plaque Set Dressing at $ 2,136 was the top prop. It is from the Constitution Class the "Defiant" in the Enterprise episode "In a Mirror Darkly". A bit strong I think, but this had a lot of people after it.

The Enterprise Na'Kuhl Control Console is $ 1,651. This is a big and beautiful piece, and is being shipped off to Germany where the winner lives. I am glad I don't have to pay for that shipping!

The DS9 Large Research PADD was actually from "Insurrection". At $ 1,175 a fair price and some pretty cool text on the graphic.

Prop prices are coming down a lot. Fatigue is setting in with bidders who have been at this a year now. Not enough new bidders are coming to the auctions and with 6 months to a year of auctions left, few have the staying power to keep bidding. Be patient on generic props as there is still a lot of stuff!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

When I first saw the TNG model Phaser rifle in “The Mind’s Eye” I was hugely disappointed.It was just plain ugly.Rather than develop something cool and interesting, it really looked like someone had just taken a cobra head Phaser and made it into a rifle.We had to suffer through this model of Phaser rifle all the way through DS9 as well.Even with the introduction of new models of Phaser rifles in First Contact, midway through the DS9 run, that model of Phaser rifle was kept on the sideline until Voyager.

That being said, there isn’t any coherent set of descriptions of 24th century Federation Phaser Rifles.Many people use many different designations.So in order to bring order to where there is only chaos (apologies to the Borg), I have put this article together, that I think will help us all communicate accurately in the future.This article is written for prop collectors and doesn’t delve into the histories of the guns in the context of the Star Trek Universe.For that, go to the web sites I note at the end of this article, most notably www.phasers.net.

The rifles are referred to as Type 3 Phasers, because in the nomenclature of TOS, the Type 1 Phaser was the small hand held model, while the Type 2 was the pistol Phaser.Type 3 was assumed to be a rifle.This naming system is referred to throughout the various Star Trek Technical Manuals.

The first Type 3 Phaser Rifle we saw was in the TNG episode “The Mind’s Eye“.This rifle was used sparingly in TNG, showing up only twice more, in the episodes “Descent” and “Lower Decks”.The original Type 3 Phaser Rifle props were made by Proper Effects, who did most of the hand props for The Next Generation early on.There were actually a bunch of these made, but all are in private hands now.IAW never had any of these, and the last of them seem to have been sold at Christies.There are rubber ones often available, but they look like crap, suffering from bending and bad paint cracks.

The Type 3 Phaser Rifle, first seen in TNG, then DS9

When DS9 came around and the production needed lots of Phaser Rifles, Proper Effects had been replaced by HMS.HMS didn’t have the molds for the Type 3 of course and so were in a quandary.One of the guys at HMS knew that Scott Brodeen, one of the prop shop hands, had a copy he had made from an original.Scott had taken an original TNG Phaser Rifle and recast it for his own collection, changing aspects of it subtly so that no one would think it was an original.Well, with no original TNG rifle to use to recast, HMS asked to use Scott’s rifle and so his copy became the master for the DS9 rifles!So while this doesn’t really matter for Star Trek canon, it does matter to prop collectors, who can find two different types of Federation Type 3 Phaser rifles.The DS9 style also gave birth to the scoped variant seen in “Change of Heart”,and other DS9 episodes .

With Star Trek: First Contact, new Phaser Rifles were needed for the big screen.But instead of a single new version, we wound up with three.The first style is the square nosed Type 3a.This was the version Picard was tinkering with when Lilly barges in on him, and can also be seen in the foreground of the armory scene.This is designated the 3a in the Star Trek: Ds9 Technical Manual.

The Type 3a Phaser Rifle

This type wasn’t well liked by the powers that be, and so the Type 3b, was introduced during the production of First Contact.Essentially a Type 3a with a new, rounded, black barrel. This is the version we see Picard, Data and Worf carry through the hallways while they search for Borg.The type 3b carries through the rest of the Star Trek movies, most prominently featured in Star Trek: Insurrection as well as being featured heavily in Voyager.This type is frequently referred to as the “Insurrection Style” as it was heavily featured in that movie.

The Type 3b Phaser Rifle

The third type featured in First Contact is the Type 3 EVA.This was used only in the scenes on the surface of the Enterprise hull, when Picard, Worf and Hawke go after the Borg by the deflector dish.It is totally different than the other types for the movie, with an open trigger and dual grips, ostensibly to make it easier for Space suited crew to keep a grip on and use.We have never seen this rifle used again.

The Type 3 EVA Phaser Rifle

Star Trek: Nemesis brought us the Type 3c.This was a modified version of the Type3b with a new scope, which was actually a real, modern day scope, with an integral flashlight.The prop also featured aluminum (for the hero) or foil, (for the background) appliqués to the sides of the rifle, giving it a much more polished look.

The Type 3c Phaser Rifle

Finally we have the Voyager Compression Phaser Rifle.Big, bulky and ugly, for some reason the powers that be wanted a new rifle for Voyager.The biggest downside was it was a rifle that could not easily be handled with one arm.And while this rifle went through some changes (The scope was turned around after the first few episodes and a light put in), the rifle was ugly and unwieldy and so was eventually dropped in favor of the Type3b during later Voyager episodes.

Compression Rifle

So there you go.A brief history of the Type 3 Phaser Rifle from TNG through Nemesis.If you want information on the rifles from a show perspective ishttp://www.phasers.net/ . This is a great web site that covers all Star Trek weapons and how they fit into the Star Trek universe.And Lee, the owner just recently updated his site and so his naming conventions correspond with those I have given here.

Monday, January 14, 2008

While this is actually the 52nd week of auctions, I am going to use the numbering system Burt came up with for his Star Trek Auctions Archiveto keep consistent. Weeks 46 and 53 were off weeks, thus the discrepancy. For the record, there have been 52 weeks of auctions.

The Captain Sisko Starfleet Uniform Lot went for a very high $ 8,307. It was a beautiful costume that included the rare vest, a comm badge and pips. The boots weren't for a Starfleet Uniform though. The best example we have seen so far. Austrian Forum member Josef Philip won it, an d so the devalued dollar helped him pay more than he otherwise would have he said.

The Star Trek movie: Class A Maroon uniform went for a hefty $ 3,750. Now, this did have Christian Slater elements, but the shirt and jacket inside were mismatched. None the less, these are iconic uniforms that are very much in demand. I am not sure how many IAW has left, but it can't be many.

The Enterprise T'Pol Jumpsuit at $ 3,151 was pretty reasonable, compared to where these have been going. With Maharanidiva out of the picture, bidding has been much more reasonable for T'Pol items. I think this was a pretty good deal actually for a costume from a favorite character.

The Chief O'Brien Starfleet Uniform at $ 2,627 was pretty high, but these look great in Operation's Gold. My buddy Dana really wanted this and paid strong, but this will look great on display. O'Brien's costumes also are the only ones with the sewn in Chief Petty Officer rank on the undershirt.

The Nemesis Sciences Blue Uniform went for a healthy $ 1,212. These costumes are in demand because they look so good and were the standard of the last few movies and DS9.

The Spock Camping Outfit at $ 1,050 was a good deal. We have seen a few of these, and at this price, you simply can't go wrong.

As far as props go:

The Enterprise E Bridge Console went for a hefty $ 6,800. One of the forum members bought this and paid high for it, but he has a matching one and so really wanted it. While I think that is a strong price, it is a piece of the Enterprise bridge, so it will hold its value I think.The Enterprise Hero Communicator at $ 4,350 was a relist. The former top IAW winner, Maharanidiva failed to pay for this, and so it came up again. This was a beauty and worth every penny.I won the Captain Sisko Briefcase which was a really important prop for me, since Sisko is my favorite Captain. At $ 1,564 I got it at a great price. Honestly I was prepared to go twice that.

The Andorian Wig and Antennae went for a strong $ 1,225. I wasn't crazy about this one aesthetically, but it was cool from a special effects perspective with all the pieces.

The Captain's Picard Tea Set went for $ 1,125. Well, Picard and tea go together, but this was a found item and many bidders who would have gone after this seem to be OK with just buying this from the store! Still, pretty cool.

The Enterprise Vulcan Book went for a strong $ 1,025. A bit of a surprise, as these are the type of props I think are coming down in value. Nothing very special about this and we have seen these before.

Prop prices are coming down a lot. Fatigue is setting in with bidders who have been at this a year now. Not enough new bidders are coming to the auctions and with 6 months to a year of auctions left, few have the staying power to keep bidding. Be patient on generic props as there is still a lot of stuff!

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

This is a rare find, and a goodie in Star Trek Prop history. The "Photon Collector" that Chekov and Uhuru used in Star Trek IV is up for sale by a private collector. He has asked me to help him with the sale of it, and so here is some information. If you are interested, please email me at alecpeters@bellsouth.net. This is what the owner has to say:

Pictures: As seen on screen and as held by Koenig in 2003. The item has been in a display case since and has undergone no change in condition.

Condition: Paint job/overall condition - excellent.

Provenance: When this item went for auction, I contacted Richard Coyle to have him investigate whether it was in fact the screen-used hero he created. He checked out the auction and verified that it was. I have e-mail correspondence regarding the history of the prop and the "tells" Richard was relying on to verify it as the hero, as well as telephone conversation with Richard regarding the tells.

Richard also issued me a COA verifying the item (which I will give to the buyer).

As for how the item came "off the lot", Richard says (reflected in e-mails) that the item was used in the "nuclear wessel" scenes, then the request was made for him to take the hero unit used in those scenes and modify it as described above for later scenes on the Bird of Prey. He made these changes but was told the scene had been cut when he returned the item to the set. Richard then asked if he could keep the prop, and was told yes.

I am happy to provide any e-mails I can locate and/or to have Richard re-verify, though I think the COA speaks for itself.

ALL screen-seen lights on this prop WORK, I replaced the battery (there is a battery connector in each of the two cylinders) because the red LEDs were dimming, and ALL lights came on that are seen on screen.

Friday, January 4, 2008

Well, many of you know that when the Menagerie was being presented on the big screen in November, a group of us here in Atlanta got together and went to see it. Before that though, we met at Gary's house to watch Star Trek II: TWOK in his AMAZING home theater! As you may know, he used original Star Trek set pieces to craft the ultimate Trek home theater. The captain's chair is Archer's, the Nav and Helm consoles are from the Enterprise E, there are TNG Enterprise wall panels all around, and a DS9 monitor above the door.

Well, here are the photos!

The Gang before the showing. Daryl, John, Jeff, Rob, Gary and me.

The view from behind the Captain's chair

How would you like to watch Star Trek from Archer's chair?

These are the actual Enterprise E bridge Nav and helm consoles!!!

Thanks to Gary for a great start to our Star Trek day. It was a blast taking turns watching the movie from the big chair!